Police considering 'conspiracy' in Cochran video case

Clayton Kelly's wife Tara says this pass was given to her husband. She says he did not "sneak" into St. Catherine's Village to get photos of Rose Cochran, but rather was allowed in on a pass.(Photo: Special to The Clarion-Ledger)

Clayton Kelly, the man accused of entering Sen. Thad Cochran's wife Rose's nursing home room and taking pictures which were posted to the internet, remains jailed on $100,000 bond after his initial appearance Sunday afternoon.

Judge Dale Danks told the court he was upholding Kelly's current bond, but scheduled a preliminary hearing for Thursday.

Kelly is charged with exploitation of a vulnerable adult after police said he gained access to St. Catherine's Village, a nursing home in Madison, and to Rose Cochran's room. He then allegedly took pictures of her that he posted on his blog, "Constitutional Clayton."

A representative of the Madison Police Department said there are other individuals in the case that they'd like to talk to "who might have been part of a conspiracy." At this point, police won't comment further, citing the ongoing investigation.

Kelly's attorney, Kevin Camp, argued that his client had cooperated with police and that a bond of $10,000 to $25,000 would be more fitting, but the city argued that the facts of the case were "very serious and grave in nature."

When Danks told the courtroom he was leaving the bond as is, Kelly sighed audibly and hung his head for a second. He left the courtroom the same way he came in, looking to the back of the courtroom at his wife Tara.

Tara Kelly provided the Clarion-Ledger with a photo of a pass from St. Catherine's from a Sunday. She says he was given the visitor's pass, but it is unclear where it came from.

The pass says, "St. Catherine's village visitor vehicle pass, Sunday." The directions state, "Place on vehicle dashboard facing outwards. This permit authorizes the bearer to enter and park on the grounds of St. Catherine's Village. This pass must be returned to the welcome center upon exit."

It does not have a more specific date than "Sunday." No one answered the phone at St. Catherine's Village Sunday to answer questions about how passes are issued.